Bhilwara, April 17: Bhilwara, a small town in Rajasthan that is 240 kilometres from Jaipur, had emerged as one of the first coronavirus hotspots in the country. However, Bhilwara has now become a coronavirus-free town after last two patients were discharged on Friday. A total of 28 coronavirus cases were reported within a short span on time in Bhilwara. With strict enforcement of lockdown, the administration contained the spread of the deadly virus. Coronavirus Tracker Live.

"There is no coronavirus case in any hospital of Bhilwara after the discharge of two patients today. Out of total 28 cases, two had succumbed to the disease, while others were cured," District Magistrate Rajendra Bhatt told news agency ANI. It is pertinent to say that the first coronavirus positive patients in Rajasthan also found in Bhilwara where three doctors and three compounders of a private hospital tested positive for the virus. Islampur, Once Declared as Coronavirus Hotspot, Now Becomes Virus-Free; Know How Maharashtra's Small Town Achieved The Feat.

Bhilwara Model:

In India, a few hotspots of COVID-19 were listed as the epicentres of coronavirus out of which Bhilwara had emerged in the list of 10 major spots. With 28 cases, the district was considered the worst hit in Rajasthan and for a few days, at the national level too. In Bhilwara, an infected doctor passed on coronavirus to his patients, staff and family contacts. According to Tina Dabi, who is a sub-divisional magistrate in Bhilwara from October 2018, the district administration immediately swung into action and decided to impose a lockdown.

"Within a matter of two hours, the collector of the district Rajendra Bhatt took the very stern and firm decision that we need to go for a curfew and we need to go for a complete shutdown," Dabi told Hindustan Times. The young IAS officer said after an order was issued, she went around the whole city, "shutting everything down, convincing people, even scolding a few people, requesting and persuading them telling them not to panic".

To break the chain of contamination, nearly 6,000 people were identified and put under isolation in only two days. Patients from almost 19 districts and 4 states were in the hospital when a sudden rise of positive patients was reported. Every single individual was put in strict isolation and a curfew was imposed without affecting the supply of food and other essentials. Following the strict lockdown, coronavirus could not spread further. The "Bhilwara Model" has attained fame for containing the spread of coronavirus.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 17, 2020 10:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).